Why Franco Mostert will again don the Bok No 7 jersey this weekend

The Springboks on Tuesday announced an almost entirely new backline for their second Rugby Championship Test against Argentina in Gqeberha on Saturday, while a rejigged pack sees Franco Mostert back in the fray at blindside flank.

Apart from injured scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, the backline will be the same one that won the series against the British and Irish Lions a fortnight ago, with Cobus Reinach retaining the No 9 jersey after his excellent performance last weekend.

Mostert, always in the thick of things against the Lions when he also wore the No 7 jersey in place of Pieter-Steph du Toit in the third Test, is back after just a week’s break to recover from what looked suspiciously like a broken nose in the third Test against the Lions. Captain Siya Kolisi and Jasper Wiese, the man of the match last weekend, complete the loose trio.

Kwagga Smith is the player to make way for the brave Mostert, but he will be on the bench as Marco van Staden has an ankle injury.

Dan du Preez is the other loose forward among the replacements as South Africa once again go for a 6/2 split among the reserves.

Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg is in line to make his Test debut as the substitute lock, with Marvin Orie standing in for admirable workhorse Eben Etzebeth in his first start for the Springboks.

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“Marvin has been part of us for a while, he was part of the World Cup mix but missed out, so I was quite surprised when I heard it will be his first start,” Nienaber said on Tuesday.

“But he has been training very well and he is energetic. Nicolaas played 80 minutes for the SA A team and is pretty much clued up on our systems. It’s still going to be a battle of the forwards, the foundation must still be laid by them.

“Marco was injured in the last tackle of the game when Vincent Koch fell on his ankle. He would have been touch-and-go for Saturday, but he could not train on Monday or Tuesday, which is why he was not selected.

“There are four loose forwards out injured at the moment, there are four standing, so I’ve had a few sleepless nights. It’s not ideal having so many injuries in one position.”

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Janse van Rensburg, formerly with the Bulls, has spent the last five years playing French rugby with Montpellier and the 27-year-old can also cover flank. At two metres tall and weighing 115kg, he is experienced in calling lineouts as well.

Scrumhalf is another position where there are injury problems, but Nienaber said there is a ray of light there with Herschel Jantjies likely to be fit for the match against Australia in Sydney on September 12.

Apart from injuries causing the Springbok coach to have a furrowed brow, Nienaber admitted that being forced to take 42 players to Australia due to Covid protocols will also cause some head-scratching.

“It would be more manageable to have 37. Every extra player is probably another player who won’t have the opportunity to play and you have to manage that,” Nienaber said.

“They do all the training but otherwise they sit there for six weeks without playing. If there was a quicker way to get players into Australia then we would probably travel with less players, but it’s impossible.”

Springbok team: Willie le Roux, Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Handré Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Jasper Wiese, Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi (captain), Lood de Jager, Marvin Orie, Thomas du Toit, Malcolm Marx, Trevor Nyakane. Bench: Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe, Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, Kwagga Smith, Dan du Preez, Jaden Hendrikse, Damian Willemse.